Perceived Supervisor Remorse and Turnover Intentions: The Role of Organization Based Self-Esteem and Affective Commitment

Abstract

Leadership behavior is essential for retaining employees. Using positive actions, leaders engage and motivate followers to allow little or no provision for turnover intentions. Even in case of adverse conduct, supervisors may correct their wrongful behavior by apologizing for their misdeeds, which helps to retain followers. Utilizing self-consistency theory, we explore how organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) is a pivotal mechanism that explains the relationship between employees’ perception of supervisor remorse and their turnover intentions, alongside the moderating role of affective commitment. Our analysis of three-wave data collected from employees from Pakistani organizations revealed that perceptions of supervisor remorse decrease turnover intention through strengthening OBSE. Employees’ psychological bonding accentuates the mediating role of OBSE with their organization. In general, our research demonstrates a crucial mechanism, employees’ self-confidence about their organizational position, through which the effect of perceived supervisor remorse on turnover intention is explained. Also, the findings show how employees’ affective commitment acts as a boundary condition invigorating this indirect effect.